M aking paper by hand is an ancient art that originated in China. Paper can be made from the cellulose fibers of any plant. My paper is made from cotton rags, a common practice in making 100% acid free fine art papers for watercolorists and printmakers. The rags are cut up with a band saw and beaten for five hours in a Hollander, a machine invented in Holland in 1670 to pulp plant fiber. The resultant pulp is then poured onto screens over a sink and pressed with a sponge to form sheets. When dry, the sheets are treated with layers of acrylic paint and "aged" using a technique I have developed creating a textured background perfect for my primitive imagery.

The pulp l use is 100% cotton. This is dyed and pressed onto a screen to form sheets. l use techniques of double packing, embossing and inlay to create the images, which are then enhanced with acrylic paint. Finally, the paper is sealed front and back to insure its integrity over time.

Some of my methods are common to the papermaking craft, while others l have developed over time.

More information about papermaking:

Tear It Up
The Museum of Papermaking